Apparatus for making and breaking joints



A ril 21, 1931. J. B. KINSER APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND BREAKING JOINTSFiled Feb. 4, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 21, 1931. J. B. KINSER1,802,210

APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND BREAKING JOINTS Filed Feb. 4, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 2 14410144100 arr-Les 5. inset.

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Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATES- JAMES 1a- K Nsaa or TULSA,OKLAHOMA APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND BREAKING JOINTS Application filedFebruary 4, 1928. Serial no. 251,869.

This invention relates to improvements, in, apparatus for making andbreaking joints.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an improveddevice Whichmay 5 be usedjin connection with well drilling apparatus forquickly'making and breaking the joints of any well drilling, wellpumping, or

other apparatus. r

A further object of this invention. is the 19 provision of a compact,powerful, and relatively small and portable device which may be used forconnecting and disconnecting the joints of parts of oil well drilling oroperatingmechanism; the improved device replac- 5 ing the conventionalcircle jack and manually operated wrenches, which necessitate theservices of two or three men to make or break thej oint, incontradistinction to the improved apparatus of this'invention, whichrequires 20 but the service of one man to make or break a joint, howeverdifiicult.

Other objects and advantages of this in vention will be apparent duringthe course of the following detailed description.

25 In the accompanying. drawings, forming a part of this specification,and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views,

Figure. 1 is a vertical sectional viewtaken 5 through the improvedmachine in position for breaking the joint at the. connection ofsections of sucker rods, drilling tools, fishing tools orlike oil wellapparatus.

iFigure 2 is a cross sectional viewtaken substantially on the line %2 ofFigure 1.

. Figure 3 is a fragmentaryside elevation of the improved machine, atthe entrance side thereof from which the machine is assembled upon astring of oilwell apparatus; the parts 49 being broken away to. showupperandlower detachable slips engaging theparts to be severed.

Figure 4:, is a top plan view of the improved machine. 7

Figure 5 is, a perspective view of a novel wrench; slip'detachably usedin connection with the machine. n

In the. drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration shown only apreferred em- 50 bodi-ment of the. invention, the. letter may generallydesignate the improved machine for making and breaking joints, which mayconsist of a supporting casing B having means for detachably andadjustably receiving an upper. wrench slip or member C for wrenchengagement with a section D of oil well equipment, which is to besevered from a lower part E. A lower slip F is adapted to be detachablycarried in the machine for engaging thesection E of the oil wellequipment to be parted; the wrench slip F being rotatably supported bymeans H in the lower part of the housing B the means H being operatedwith facility by means K. i

The housing or casing B is of vertical substantially cylindrical shapedconstruction, includingan enlarged lower. portion 10 of substantialcylindrical formation, and an upper portion 11 of cylindrical formation;

theparts 10 and ll beingconnected by an 3 upwardly sloping or taperedfrusto-conical portion 12. The lower part 10 is provided with a largecompartment 14 therein, which is'restricted upwardly through theconnecting portion 12; The portion llis provided with a passageway 16therethrough having opposite fiat sides 17. I At one side theportionslO, 11' and 12 have the compartments and passageways thereofopened exteriorly by slotting or removal of a vertical portion of theside walls of said parts, to provide an entrance way 20, bestillustrated in Figure 3 V of the drawings, so that the parts D and E tobe connected or disconnected may be conveniently assembled within thehousing B for engagement with the parts of the machine therein.

As. an important part of the invention. I' prefer to provide a closure26, for the'upper part 11 of the casing or housing, hinged at 27 alongone side edge of the opening or slot 20, and at the opposite side havinga latch 30 by means of which the closure 26 may close the openingQO inthe. part 11; the closure 26 thus being complementary with the otherportion of the upper part 11 in providing a cylinder. The door 26cooperates effectively with the upperwrench slip C in holding the samein proper. position upon the section D of the joint to be disconnectedor connected.

The wrench slip C is well illustrated in Figures 1 and 4 of thedrawings, the same being of substantially U-shaped cross section,including a body portion 35, having the substantially parallel grippingfingers or flanges 36 extending therefrom to one side thereof, and thesame having facing flat sides adapted to engage the opposite flat sidesof the polygonal wrench engaging portion 40 of the oil well apparatussection D. The wrench slip C furthermore includes a hand engagingportion 41, provided with an opening 42 therethrough, more particularlyshown in Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings. The slip fingers 36 have outerflat surfaces 45 and 46, as shown in Figure 4c of the drawings, whichengage snugly against the opposite flat sides 17 of the passagewaythrough the portion 11 of the housing B. In assemblage, the apparatuspart D is of course placed within the machine casing B with the wrenchpart 40 thereof at the proper position within the same, and the wrenchslip C is then placed in the passageway 16 on the wrench engagingportion 40, and the door or closure 26 is shut and latched. It is notedthat the passageway 16 is of considerable height, and which will permitadjustment of the wrench slip C therealong to suit the variable spacingof the wrench engaging portions of the joint to be disconnected,inasmuch as the joint wrench portions do not run uniform as to theirspacing along the parts to be disconnected or connected.

The lower section E includes a preferably polygonal wrench engagingportion 48, of the usual construction, and the slip F provided thereforis of U-shaped formation, as detailed in Figure 5 of the drawings, thesame including a body portion 50, having parallel outstanding legs 51and 52, provided with facing flat sides 54. At the upper edges thereofthe same are provided with outwardly extending supporting flanges 56,apertured at 57.

The means H provided for supporting the wrench slip F consists in theprovision of a segmental supporting member 60, radially slotted at 61from the outer peripheral edge thereof and providing facing flat sidesagainst which the legs 51 and 52 may'rest with the supporting flanges 56overhanging the top surface of the disc or member 60, and the same arebolted thereto, as at 62, through the openings 57 illustrated in Figure5. This positions the detachable wrench slip F with its socket facingthe opening 20 of the housing A, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 ofthe drawings. A roller bearing race 66, of segmental formation, isprovided, having roller bearings 67 supported thereby in upwardlyprojecting relation from the top surface thereof, and upon which thebottom flat surface of the member 60 is supported for rotation. Thesegmental roller bearing race 66 is held in place beneath the supportingmember 60 by means of a detachable split expansion ring 75, which isheld in place in a suitable slot 77 provided peripherally within thelower portion of the skirt or part 10 of the housing B, as is shown inFigure 1 of the drawings. In this position the member 60 is forcedupwardly into the portion 10 of the housing, against an annularprojecting flange 80, to preventthe riding of the supporting gear ormember 60 upwardly into the housing, and maintaining the wrench slip Fin a proper position. The member 60 is provided with bevel teeth 82thereabout, terminating at the ends thereof short of the slot 61, asshown in Figure 2, and the operating means K has a bevel pinion 82,which operates on the gear teeth 82 to rotate the member 60.

The means K consists in the provision of a crank shaft 90 rotatablysupported at one end in an opening 91 in the wall of the portion 10 ofthe housing B, and at its other end being extended in a bearing relationin the side wall 92 of a gearing housing 92 of the means K. A countershaft 93 is also rotatably supported by the wall 92 and at an endextends through a suitable bearing opening in the portion 10 of thehousing B. and within the compartment 14 supports the bevel gear 82*,held on the shaft 93 by means of a nut 94 or the like. The crank shaft90 exteriorly of the wall 92 is provided with a detachable crank handle95, or other means of rotating the same. The shaft 90 is provided with apinion 97 thereon, meshing with a. larger gear 98 freely rotatable onthe shaft 93. Rigid with the gear 98 is a pinion 99 freely rotatable onthe counter shaft 93, which meshes with a large gear 100, which isfreely rotatable upon the shaft 90. Rigid with the gear 100 is a. piniongear 101 which meshes with a larger gear 102 keyed on the counter shaft93. Through this train and succession of gearing it is apparent that thecounter shaft 93 is driven at a considerably reduced rate of speed fromthe crank shaft 100, so as to secure a powerful action in rotating thepart E which the wrench slip F engages, as will be perfectly apparent.

From the foregoing the operation of the invention will be apparent, tothose skilled in the art. The housing B is portably mounted on legs 110attached to the housing and extending below the skirt 10; the samehaving rollers 111 thereon by which the device A may be wheeled intoposition. Ordinarily the parts forming the joint are positioned abovethe platform and the device A is wheeled into position with the parts Dand E entered into the passageways of the housing B. The wrench slip Cis then positioned on the wrench engaging portion 40 of the section D,and the door or closure 26 is closed and latched to hold the slip C inplace. Of course,

prior to this the slip F of the proper size to fit the wrench portion48, has been positioned on the rotatable support 60, and it is apparentthat the vertical adjustment of the slip C permits the slips C and F tobe relatively spaced to conform to the spacing of the wrench engagingportions 10 and 48. If the joint is to be broken, with the partsarranged as in Figure 1, it is apparent that a turn of the crank 95 willslowly rotate the support 60 and the slip F therewith, whilethe sectionD- is held immovable by the slip C, and a partial rotation of thesupport 60 will break the joint of the sections D and E. Such joint isordinarily formed by providing a screw threaded socket 150, inwardlyofthe lower end of the part G, within which the tapered externally screwthreaded extension 151 of the part E, so that slight rotation isnecessary to sever the parts. Under normal circumstances, the work ofthe machine-A will be merely to perform the heavy duty work of tightlyscrewing the tools or parts D and E together after they have beeninitially assembled, or the initial break may be provided by therelative rotation of the parts D and E, which may be accomplished by themachine A, as will be apparent.

A detachable cover 120, having a radial slot 121 therein, as shown inFigures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, receives the section D to center thesame for receiving the slip C.

Various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be madeto the form of invention herein shown and described, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a device for making and breaking joints of oil well equipment ahousing having an elongated passageway therethrough provided with anopening thereto, a closure carried by the housing for said opening, a

' means rotatable in the housing including a I detachable slip having anon-rotatable engagement with the housing in the passageway thereofpermitting sliding'of the wrench slip along the passageway, said wrenchslip including a sockettfor wrench engagement with. one part of a jointand in position to be engaged by the closure when closed to hold it inposition against detachment from the opening of the housing passageway,and

wrench device for engagement with the other joint part. 7 I

2. In apparatus for making and'breaking joints a housing having apassageway there through, a segmental rotatable member in said housinghaving a radial opening; for

lateral slipping of a oint part therethrough,

a substantially U-shaped Wrench socket member detachably connected inthe opening of said rotatable member and opening in the same directionas said opening first mentioned and having facing polygonal sides in thesocket: thereof. for wren h engagement with a joint, part, and 5 avertically. slidable a wrench, socket aligning with the wrench socketmember above mentioned-. 3. In apparatus for making andbreaking jointsiahousin having a compartment therein, and a side opening thereto intowhich joint parts may be received, an abutment in the compartment ofthe'housing, a rotatable segmental member having a slot aligning withthe entrance opening of the housing, a U- shaped wrench slip carried inthe slot of the rotatable member, an anti-friction race supporting saidrotatable member, and a releasable split spring ring detachably held inthe housing for supporting said race and the rotatable member.

4. In apparatus for making and breaking joints, a frame having anelongated passage way therealong for receiving parts of a oint to beconnected or disconnected, means rothe same, and a detachable wrenchslip spaced from said rotatable means and non-rotatably connected inlongitudinal sliding relation in the passageway of the frame forreceiving a wrench engaging portion of the other part of the joint tohold the same against rotation. 7

5. In apparatus for making and breaking joints, a frame, means rotatablycarried by the frame for wrench engagement with a part of a joint torotate the same, and a Wrench engaging slip non-rotatably carried by theframe for free sliding towards and away from said rotatable means andhaving a wrench opening therein for receiving a wrench engaging portionof the other part of the joint to hold the same against rotation.

6. In apparatus for making and breaking joints, the combination of aframe having rotatable Wrench means thereon for engagement with thewrench engaging portion of one part of a. joint to rotate said part,said frame having an elongated passageway therein spaced in alignmentwith the rotatable wrench means, and a wrench slip freely slidable insaid passageway toward and away from the rotatable wrench means and heldagainst rotation with respect to the frame.

7 In apparatus for the making and breaking of'joints, a one-pieceintegral frame consisting of substantially cylindrical upper and lowerintegrally connected sections having a the'frame in the upper sectionfor engaging with one of a pair of connected joint parts to hold thesame fixed against rotation in the frame, a Wrench rotatably mounted inthe j ,r

lower section of the frame for engagement with the other joint part, andmeans connected with the lower section of the frame for causing rotationof said rotatable wrench 5 member to relatively rotate the joint partsto efiect a connection.

JAMES B. KINSER.

